Loose-leaf binder



March 3, 1959 H. COUGOUL LOOSE-LEAF BINDER 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April 2, 1957 INVENTOR HENRI COUGQUL ATTORNEYS March 3, 1959 H. COUGOUL LOOSE-LEAF BINDER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 2, 1957 l I I I I I l III II FIGIZ U E F I l I l l I l l n I a M. E PP.v

INVENTOR HENRI COUGOUL FIGJ9 a MLW' ATTO RNE YS United States Patent LOOSE-LEAF BINDER Henri Cougoul, Sanary, France Application April 2, 1957, Serial No. 650,182

Claims priority, application France April 5, 1956 3 Claims. (Cl. 129-17) This invention relates to loose-leaf binders, and more particularly to that type in which opposed pairs of pageretaining prongs are mounted on mutually pivoted members so as to be movable from a retaining position, in which they overlap, to a releasing position in which the prongs are withdrawn to permit the pages to be 'removed between them.

The object of the invention is to provide an improved construction in which the mutually pivoted members are coupled to adjacent coverfmounting elements which constitute a frame for the binder, the arrangement being such that in the normal or closed position of the binder the cover-mounting elements are relatively widely spaced and parallel so as to leave the maximum space for pages between them, whilst however said cover-mounting elements can be moved into a fully opened position in which they lie fiat in alignment one with the other so as to lie completely flat for the maximum convenience to the user.

In order that the nature of the invention may be readily ascertained, various constructions in accordance therewith are hereinafter particularly described by way of example with reference to the figures of the accompanying drawings, wherein: Fig. 1 is a diagram illustrating the positions adopted by the elements of the looseleaf cover in its closed position; Fig. 2 shows the elements themselves in the positions of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 shows the position of one pair of page-retaining prongs, in accordance with Fig. 1; Fig. 4 shows the position of the other pair of page-retaining prongs, in accordance with Fig. 1; Fig. 5 is a diagram illustrating the positions adopted by the elements of the loose-leaf binder in its half-open position; Fig. 6 shows the elements themselves in the position of Fig. 5; Fig. 7 shows theposition of one pair of page-retaining prongs, in accordance with Fig. 5; Fig. 8 shows the position of the other pair of pageretaining prongs, in accordance with Fig. 5; Fig. 9 is a fragmentary section taken on the line AA of Fig. 2; Fig. 10 is a fragmentary section taken on the line BB? of Fig. 2; Fig. 11 is a diagram showing the positions adopted by the elements of the loose-leaf binder in open (180) position; Fig. 12 shows the elements themselves in the position of Fig. 11; Fig. 13 shows the position of one pair of page-retaining prongs, in accordance with Fig. 11; Fig. 14 shows the position of the other pair of page-retaining prongs, in accordance with Fig. 11; Fig. 15 is a diagram to show the positions adopted by the elements of the loose-leaf binder in a still further opened page releasing position; Fig. 16 shows the elements themselves in the position of Fig. 15; Fig. 17 shows the position of one pair of page-retaining prongs, in accordance with Fig. 15; Fig. 18 shows the position of the other pair of page-retaining prongs, in accordance with Fig. 15; Fig. 19 is a partial plan view and partial horizontal section taken on the line CC of Fig. 12.

Referring to Figs. 1, 5, 11 and 15, references M, M refer to cover-mounting legs 7, 8 respectively of the other ice figures of the drawing, and references R, R refer respectively to elements 1, 2. In the closed position of Fig. 1, the radius arms R, R are at an angle A to each other, and at angles a and a' respectively to the flat base 4 of the binder. In the half-open position of Fig. 5, the radius arms R, R have moved to a greater angle A,

with consequent reduction of the angles a and a.

In the fully open position of Fig. 11, the angle A has become and the angles a and a are zero. In the page-releasing position of Fig. 15,. the angle A" has become more than 180, and the angles a and a have become negative.

Referring now to the construction of the cover, as shown in Figs. 2-4, 6-10, 12-14 and 16-19, the binder has at its top and bottom ends identical linkage for the mounting and controlling of page-retaining prongs 13, 14.

Such end construction is seen in elevation, for example, in Figs. 2, 6, 12 and 16. The binder has a rigid base element 4 in which are two longitudinal slots 11, 12 receiving pins 9, 10 serving for the pivotable and slidable attachment of the cover mounting portions 7, 8 having outer covers 17, 18 of the article joined thereto by pivots 5, 6. On a central pivot 3 are rotatably mounted two radius arms 1, 2 which are also coupled at their other end to the pivots 5, 6 respectively. The pivots 5, 6 are in the form of axles which extend along the entire height of the binder and which are fixed rigidly to the radius arms 1, 2. On these axles there are mounted, at appropriate spaced and intermediate points, the arcuate page-retaining prongs 13, 14. The radius of curvature of the prongs 13, 14 is equal to the separation of the axles 5, 6 from the central pivot 3. Thus, irrespective of the movement of the prongs 1, 2. about the pivot 3, the prongs 13, 14 will always move about their centre of curvature. It will be apparent that the pair of prongs 13 and the opposed pair of prongs 14 also lie in a common cylindrical surface.

The pages to be retained by the prongs 13, 14 would have a set of four holes at appropriate spacings to receive the two pairs of prongs.

It will be apparent that, because of the length of the prongs 13, 14, there will always be an overlap of the prongs, so far as a page is concerned, in all positions of the covers of the article until the cover-mounting parts 7, 8 are moved into the page-releasing position of Figs. l518. In this position, the radius arms 1, 2 (which control the movements of the page-retaining prongs 13, 14) have moved round so far that the prongs 13, 14 no longer over-lap, allowing pages to be removed and inserted approximately centrally in the well known manner.

Figs. 9, 10 show how the axles 5, 6 are used as common hinge pins for connecting the parts 7, 17 and 8, 18 respectively.

It will be apparent from Fig. 2 that in the closed position of the binder, the cover-mounting elements 7, 8 are parallel and at a maximum separation allowing plenty of space for the contained pages. From Fig. 12 it will likewise be apparent that in the open position of the hinder, the cover-mounting elements 7, 8 lie flat and aligned in the same plans, whereby the pages on each side can also lie fiat, to the maximum convenience of the user.

What is claimed is:

1. A loose leaf binder comprising a base having aligned slots, a pivot mounted on said base between and in alignment with the slots, two prong-bearing page retaining assemblies carried on said pivot, and two cover mounting elements, said elements being each pivoted at one end to one of the prong-bearing assemblies and carrying'at the other end a lug slidably engaged in the adjacent --s1ot, the-cover mounting elements being movable between a 'parallelposition of maximum separation and an aligned position of minimum separation.

2. A loose-leaf binder comprising two radius arms coupled at one end by a pivot, opposed part-circular page-retaining prongs rigidly secured to the respective radius-arms and being of the same radius as the arms and concentric with the pivot, said prongs being longer thanone-quarter of the circumference of their circle so asto-overlap when the radius arms are at any angle less than a predetermined-angle greater'than 180", a base element carrying the pivot for-the radius arms and having-two slots spaced equidistantly-on opposite sides of and inline with the pivot, and two cover mounting elements pivoted respectivelyto the other end of each radius arm and having a lug slidably engaged in the adiacent ,s'lotof-the base, and length of the slots beingin; relation to'the length of the cover mounting elements and the radius arms'such that in the positon of greatest separation of the cover mounting elements the latter are parallel, and in the position of greatest approach the cover-mounting elements are aligned in the same plane.

3. A loose-leaf binder comprising two radius arms coupled at one end by a pivot, opposed part-circular 4 page-retaining prongs mounted on axles rigidly secured to the respective radius arms, said prongs' being longer-than one quarter of the circumference of their circle so as to overlap when the radius arms are at any angle less than a predetermined angle greater than 180, 21 base element carrying the pivot for the radius arms and having two slots spaced equidistantly on opposite sides of and in line with the pivot, two cover-mounting elements pivoted respectively to the other end of each radius arm by the respective prong-bearing axle, a lug on each covermounting element slidable in the adjacent slot of the base, the length of the slots being in relation tolthe length of the cover-mounting elements and the radius armssuch that in the position of greatest separation of the covermounting elements the latter are parallel, and in the position of greatest approach the cover-mounting elements are aligned in the same plane, and two covers for the binder pivoted respectively one on each of,the. two

prong-bearing axles.

:References Cited in-the file of'this patent ,UNITED STATES PATENTS 

